Dash-light for automobiles.



J. P. WILSUN.

' DASH uem FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATlON FILED JAN. 14,!9-16.

1,188,596. Patentedlune 27,1916. 2

i 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Wanna J. P. WILSON.

DASH LIGHT FOR AUTOMOBILES. KPPUCATION FILED, MN. 14, 1916- v I 1 188,596, Patented June 27, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SijEET 2 gwucnto'r,

atfozncq JOSEPH 1. "WILSON, OLE OGDENSBURG, NEW YORKQ DASH LIGHT FORAUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented June 27, 193.6.

Application filed January 14, 1916. Serial No. 72,084.

To all? who m, may concern Be it known that I, Josnen P. WILSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at @gdensourg, in the county ofSt. Lawrence and State of New York, have invented. certain new anduseful Improvements in Dash- Lights for Automobiles, of which the fol- Ylowing is a specification. v

The invention has for an object to provide a desirablcform of dashappliance for motor vehicles, and seeks to-c'lfect an improveni'ent inthe construction of a switch and choice coil combined for use on amagneto and battery alternatively. 9;, An important object is to providea novel u ernent of elements whereby the light- 1;) from the magnetocurrent will p cciahly dim the biilliancy of the 7.3. .ts which alsoderive current from magneto.

or A form of light casing.

which a light holder is combined in an manner with the light support and1 Talsoan object to give an improved tic attaching means for fixing thedeen a dash of that kind generally termed coril dash, being adapted tobe se- 3' upon the innermost part of the cowl d chjectionahly, andwithout requiring Jriliing of holes or-other: special operaiti'onalobjects, advantages and feaof invention'will appear'from the conuction,arrangement and combination of e drawings where,

Figi1re l is .a vertical sectional view of appliance in use upona'familiar type of cowl dash, the inner edge of the cowl nlybeinrrshown, Fig. 2 is a bottom view roof, Fig. 3 is an outer or frontelevation the complete device, Fig. 5 is a side view wartly in sectionof a device. arranged to d s watch in a vertical .plane, and being hesubstantially the same as the de- ,ratec the first described figures.

view of a modificaion of a cow. ii),- upon .dshielfl and frame Lilsupported in :lurther important object is to provide is also an objectto provide a device on without obstructing the space therei-rtshereinafter set forth and shown in.

;hebraclret piece, Fignlis a rear elevation the glass a familiar way,the co'Wl being formed of sheet metal, with a. shoulder 12 projecting Abracket element is provided including a body having the forward or upperside 15, formed with. a plane inner surface adapted to lie flat againstthe plate 13, and having a horizontal rearwardly projected lip 16adapted to engage over the shoulder 12 of the cowl. Projected inwardlyfrom the part 15 and a distance below the lip 'lfi' somewhat greaterthan the vertical Width of the plate 13, there isa horizontal plate 17,.from which, there extends upwardly an arm 18, parallel to and so spacedfrom the part 15 as to lie some distance inwardly of the upturnedportion i l of the edge of the cowl. A wing screw 19 is engaged throughthe upper part of this arm, adapted I to bescrcwed into forcibleengagement with theplate 13 or any interposed body. The

plate 17 is formed with resilient suitably spaced clamp arms or jaws20,'shaped and adapted to be drawn together by means of bolt 21-, tohold therebetween the tubular casing 22 of a combined switch, choke coiland lamp socket now to be described.

The casing-22 is. cylindrical, and may he formed of sheet metal or ofordinary drawn tubing, as found most desirable and convenient. The outeror forward end that which is next the observer when the device is inuseis formed with the familiarbayonet slot 23, for the reception of thebase of an electric lamp '24, having the usual tr m -n1ons 25 on each.side for engagement H1 the slot. The inner or rear end of the cos-- ing22- incloses a spool 26 of suitable insulating material having a chokecoil winding27. The spool is centrally/bored as at 2 8, and ontheforward end is provided with two screws or plugs 29, one of which hasconnected theret a wire 30 extending through. the central bore of thespoohwhile' the dther has connected thereto a wire 51 leading throughthe coil 27. The spoolZd is fined the casing by having part of casingindented to project partly into body pt tl spool each end sheen icehaving a spring pressed contact plunger 7 34 of a ,familiar form mountedcentrally thereof and projecting forwardly for engagement upon thecentral contact 35 of the lamp base 24. A small screw or contact post36' is engaged in the plug 33, and su1t ably connected to the plunger34, the plug 36 being spaced from the center of the casing a. distancecorresponding to the spacing of the plugs 29, which are each spaced thesame distance from the center of the easing. A slot 37 is formed in theside of the casing intermediately the length of the plug 33 when at theinner limit of its movement, and engaged in the plug for oscillation inthis slot, there is an operating lever 38- by which the plug may beturned. to move the contact 36 into engagement with one or the other ofthe contacts 29, normally being. jlositioned intermediately thereof. Ifdesired a small recess or notch may be formed in the inner end of thespool 26 spaced intern'icdiately of the contacts 29, so that the,plugwill be held yieldably in intermediate position without any. circuitbeing closed. By this arrangement it will be seen that the plug 33 isheld at theinner limit of its movement by means of the engagement of thelamp socket with the spring pressed plunger mounted in the plug, wherebyresilient contact between the elements 36 and 29 is attained without anyspecial resilient device.

A spherical lamp inclosure 40 is provided, formed of a suitable opaquematerial, litted snugly around the outer fonx-ardendof the casing v 22,and positioned concentrically with respect to the lighting element inthe lamp, or otherwise, found desirable. This inclosure is preferablymade removable from the endot the casing in order that the f lamp, maybe renewed when necessary, Wltll.

facility; The inclosure 40 is provided with an enlarged opening 11, atthe lower side.

suitable for the passage of light to illuminate a speedoirieter,levers,,pedals and indicatorswhich may be mounted on-the-dashandtherebeneath, while at the upper side an opening 42 is formed and alight fender flange 43 formed in. the inclosure extend:

ing from adjacent the side of the opening. nearest the cas ng22'forwardly and inlk wardly Mlthlll the inclosure, for a suitabledistanceand stoppi-ngshort just below the outermost part of the openingsil, soas to prevent passage of light from the lamp directly outward in such adirection asto strike the eye of themotorist; The upper part ofthehrackct element may have an enlargement as at 44, with an inclinedforwa'rd surface upon which a watch ore-lock may be seenzed seat 45, andheld in concement-position for observation .by'the motorist, and forillumination by light passing through the opening 42 of the lampmelosure. 1n the present instance there is shown a watch 46 having aback 47 which fastens in the familiar way in many watches now in use,this back being centrally apertured and a screw 48' engaged therethroughand in the enlargement 44, by which the' watch is held in place.

Asv shown in Fig. 5 the bracket is without the enlargement 44 beforementioned, and the watch isheld in a vertical position and attached inthe same manner as before men tioned.' Tl1e-openh1g'42 in the lightinclosure may in this form of the device be located farther inward withrespect to. the casing Also, the casing 22 may beadjusted' fartherinward in the bracket between the clamping arms 20 so that thelight ispro jecteda shorter distance from the dash. In the last mentioned figurealso, the clamp arms are made somewhat narrower than shown in Fig.1, andalined with the-fr part of the element 15' of the bracket. if

The bracket element and clamp arms with I the parts corresponding .tothose 15, 17 and 18 previously described may be formed integrally fromsheet metal as shown in Fig.

6, and in case it is desiredto mount the watch in an inclined position acentral tongue 50 may be stamped from the. forward jaw piece 15corresponding to the part 15 before described.

The use of the device will bereadily understood, the wire 30 beingconnected to one terminal of a'battery, the other. terminal of which isgrounded, while the wire 31 is con nected to. one of the terminals ofthe mag neto, the opposite terminal of which is also grounded.

The inclusion of the choke coil providing means whereby an electriclamp'of suitable candle power but of low voltage (2 candle power, tourvolts being ordinarily employed Where the magneto 'ordinarily produces apotential of twelve volts) is suitably lighted from the magneto currentwithout apprecif ably dimming the headlights which are i ewiseconnectedto the said magneto, as

would be the result ifsaid head light lamps and'the one on: the'dashappliance were all of the same high voltage.

' Whatis claimed: v

1. a device of the class described a cy-., hndrlcal casing, a spool of.non conducting material having a choke coil-thoz-reon, contacts on thespool, similarly spaced fromits center, battery connections for one andmag neto. connections for 'the other leading through the coil, a plug ofnonconducting 1,1ss,see as material loosely revoluble in .the casing andhevin at contact element thereon positioned for a ternetive engagementwith the first named contact on. the spool, means to rotate the plug, aspring pressed. contact member the slug electrically connected with thesaid contact member on the-plug, a lamp having a. base including acontact element for en: gsgement against the spring pressed contact, andmeans for holding the base in seicl casing adj acent the inner limit ofits moveto hold a lamp base in bearing on said spring pressed contactmember, said cesinghsving e 01ICll111f181li3l21l slot therein, and "anopjected through said slot;

8. A device of the class described comerating lever engaged in the plugand proprising a brackct'element havingfdrmed on casing in the bracket,an electric lamp mounted at the outer end of the casing, a switch devicein the casing, and an inclosure carried by the casing around said lighthaving an opening at its lower side, clear for direct passage of lightfrom the lamp therethrough, and having an opening at its upper side, alight fender mounted across the last named ooening diverging therefromtoward the forward port of the device, and a watch support on the upperpart of said bracket constructed to support a watch in the field oflight passing through the said last named opening.

l, A dash light device for use alternatively'with battery or magneto ofthe type indicated comprising a bracket element, including means forattaching it to a dash or the l1ke,-and having resllient' arms projectedlaterally therefrom, a cylindrical casmg element engaged between thearms, means to clamp the arms on the casing element, a. resistance coilmounted on the casing,

concentrically spaced insulated switch points within the cesihginwardlyof the resistance coil, battery connections to oneasld magnetoconnections for the other the latter leadlng through the resistancecoil, a rotating switch f plug longitudinally slidable in the casingoutwardly of the switch points'and having a contact positioned foralternative engage ment with the points, e slot being formed in the sideof said casing, a lever on the plug projected through the slot andengaged removably with the plug, a resilient contact device mounted inthe plug extending outwardly, and means to secure a lamp base in theouter end of the casing in engagement with said spring pressed contact.

5. A device of the character described comprising e bracket element forattachment to a dashor the like, a cylindrical cesing slidebly engagedwith the bracket, means to secure the casing on the bracket, an electriclamp mounted in the outer end of the casing, c s itch device associatedivith the electric liglil, and an inclosure carried by the casing aroundsaid light having openings therein e li 'ht lender ed'ecent one o eninend a watch. support on the upper part or said bracket constructed tosupport a watch in the field of light passing through the last namedopening.

6. A. dash lig it device comprising a bracket element including meansfor attaching' it to a dash or the "like, a light carrying elementadjnstably engaged upon. the bracket, a light carried thereby, aninclosure for thelight constructed to direct light in a predetermineddirection, means to secure the light holder edjustebly in the bracket,and means to secure it watch or the like on the bracket in the field orlight from said he closure when in one position.

7. In a switch of the class described :1 casing, a switch point at itsinner part, a movable switch member hevinga contact for engagement withthe point at one position,

spring-pressed contact member at the outer side of the switch member, alamp having a base including a contact element. for engagcmerit againstthe spring pressed contact, and

means for holding the base in said casing in bearing on the soringpressed contact, and

'meens to operate the switch member.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence oi twowitnesses.

JUSEPH P. WILSON.

Witnesses: RUTH Bn'scnnn, CARL Henson.

